


All in Due Time

by whenwordsmakesense



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Fluff, I love Argent-Hales, M/M, Multi, Pining, a/b/o dynamics, love life dramas, very teeny tiny angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29107311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whenwordsmakesense/pseuds/whenwordsmakesense
Summary: Derek realises he's in love with his little sister's best friend. What will he do?Cue drama and pining! Though the drama is more on Malia, rather because of Malia, cuz damn can she get around!
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Read and find out! - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 95
Collections: Sterek Goodness





	All in Due Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hiii! 
> 
> This is my first fic on AO3, and my second in total. If you like this one, follow me on Tumblr under the same name ;) 
> 
> Also Kudos and Comments. Drop 'em if you wish!! I'd certainly be happy to catch them.

Stiles has always been a bit of an enigma. The 14-year-old is a mouthy little shit who doesn't give a fuck about what others think of him, but at the same time takes everything said about him to heart and is so _soft_ that Derek just wants to take him in his arms and cuddle him until Stiles has his characteristic shit-eating grin on his face back and his eyes twinkle with mirth and life. 

And that's the problem. 

It isn't enough that Stiles is four years younger than him, is his younger sister's best friend -- she has made it clear to all of them that even though she thinks Stiles is an attractive Omega, she doesn't like him like that (The whole family knows that she has her sights set on a certain redhead) -- he's also his ex-girlfriend's cousin. 

Isn't that fun. 

Paige and him had dated for six months when they were 16, and even if their break-up was mutual, the fact remains that Stiles and Paige are cousins. 

He certainly has a thing for pale skin and moles. 

Maybe college would open up new doors for him. And it's not like he's in love with Stiles, he just needs to leave the town and meet new people and that would solve this insane urge that he has to trail Stiles like a lovesick puppy. One Scott McCall being such puppy for Allison is enough. Seriously, what does his cousin see in that kid? The only good thing about him is that he knows Stiles is awesome, and... There he goes again singing Stiles' praises in his mind. 

He needs to get out of here. Fast. 

*

Turns out he _is_ in love with Stiles. 

It takes him a whole year to figure out, but there it is, the truth: Derek Hale loves Stiles Stilinski. 

This feeling is new, stronger than what he'd ever felt for Paige. With her, Derek had admired her: her beauty, her passion, her talents. With Stiles, Derek can't help but think of the small things and how it makes him feel. The way Stiles insists on vegetables and healthy food for his dad, which makes Derek feel warm by their bond; the way Stiles can rant about anything with passion and facts and all Derek can think is of how much he loves his voice; the way Stiles gives it back as it gets, never one to back down, and how it makes Derek feel the strength of his soul, make him think how their souls together would be: strong, determined, beautiful. 

And this revelation doesn't come suddenly, no, it comes slowly, creeping on in his blind spot, just in his reach, but never letting itself get caught until he's seated on his bed, back home for the summer after his first year, listening to Laura tell him and Cora in detail how Camden Lahey (finally) proposed to her. 

“Oh, fuck.” he says as he realises. 

Laura stops mid-sentence, eyes bulging at the interruption, and Cora looks over at him, intrigued. They've listened to Laura talk about her engagement thrice by now. 

“That look. That's the look you had when you read the part in Harry Potter when Dumbledore died,” says Laura, concerned. Cora makes a noise of protest, because she's yet to watch the movies. They ignore her. “What's the big revelation baby brother?” 

Despite his situation, he can't help but bit back, “I am only _two years_ younger than you,” Laura waves it off. “I am in love. And that's all I am going to say about this,” to them. He needs to find Allison and talk to her. 

He leaves the room to do so and texts her to meet him at their place. He ignores Cora and Laura calling him back. 

He loves all his sisters and Jackson, but Allison is his best friend. He has no idea how Peter and Chris made this perfect human -- he and Uncle Peter are in no way alike, and are always locked in a weird type of ‘Who is the real Alpha?’ match; Uncle Chris and him get along, but it's from years of being in the same family, not some common ground. He loves them both, of course, but Allison is so unlike them both that Derek has made conspiracy theories such as Allison is adopted -- but he's grateful to them anyhow. Allison and him are only a year apart, and he's missed her as much as he's missed Stiles while being away in New York. 

He and Allison meet up in _Raeken Bacon's,_ typically a breakfast place, that has become a go-to place for teenagers and adults alike. The two of them have been coming here since they were kids -- His mom is friends with Mrs. Raeken and her husband, and they have had many playdates with Theo. Well, Cora, Jackson and Malia have had, since they're all the same age. 

“Why'd you call me out of the house?” Allison asks as soon as they take up residence in a booth. 

“Where you home? I didn't see you,” he says truthfully. He hadn't; neither of the Argent-Hales were home. 

“I was with Scott,” she says, blushing. Derek smiles and pinches her cheeks. She pouts at him. 

“How is that going by the way? Isn't your first year anniversary coming up soon?” He still isn't a big fan of Scott, but if he makes Alli happy, that's fine by him. 

She smiles sweetly at him. Before she can reply though, the waitress, name tag reading “Erica Reyes” comes up to them. Derek knows her, he thinks, she's come to his home at least twice alone this last week. Erica is Alli's classmate and friend -- which turns out to be true because the two betas chat for a whole ten minutes before remembering that Derek is there and he's waiting to order. What is even weirder though is that he ends up liking her. As a friend, but still. He's not easy to impress. She reminds him of Stiles, actually. 

He can't help it. The moment Erica goes back to place their order, he blurts out, “I am in love with Stiles,” 

Allison pauses mid-motion, eyes wide, hands up in the air, legs bent in an awkward manner. “I think I can wait to go the washroom,” she says, and settles back down properly. 

Derek loves her so much in this moment. He vows to buy the best birthday gift _and_ Christmas gift this year. 

Three hours, several cokes, burgers and free Erica advice later, Allison declares, “You are in _so much shit,_ ” and laughs. In that moment, all Derek can see is Uncle Peter in her. He no longer believes she's adopted. 

“He's 15, I am 19.” He repeats for the 100th time. “He's Paige's cousin,” he thunks his head on the table. Allison pats his back in assurance.

“Scott was 15 when he asked me out,” 

“And you were 17, it's not the same.” 

There's a pause. “You do know Stiles is seeing Malia, right? They're not seeing seeing each other, it's more of a sex thing, but if you and him work out at least you both will have that awkward ‘I fucked your cousin’ thing going on,” 

Derek removes his head from the table. Glares at Allison who grimaces and smiles tentatively at him. “Not funny,” he says, and gets up to get far away from there. He adds an, “I hate you,” before exiting. 

*

Over the course of the next four weeks that he's home, he has a ton of emotions. 

First comes jealousy at the way Malia gets to say things like, “You look hot today,” to Stiles everytime he comes to their house. 

Second comes a lingering sadness when Stiles flirts back with her and finds the appropriate time for some alone time with her. Stiles won't ever want to be alone with him like that. Derek is too “scowly” and “grumpy” as per Stiles himself, on numerous occasions, to boot. 

Third comes confusion when Stiles and Malia stop spending time together. Stiles comes over, but it's for Cora, because she's having a crisis of some sort, and Malia doesn't comment on how good Stiles looks that day. When he's leaving, Derek can't help but ask, “Something happen between you two?” 

Stiles blinks. “Me and Mal?” 

Derek nods. He's not sure what else to say. 

“Nope. Nothing, we're good. Why?” 

Huh? “Huh? I don't get it. Aren't you two together. Or were?” 

Stiles laughs and hits him in the shoulders. “Dude, I love your cuz but she's not my type. We had some fun times, but nah. We're better as friends,” 

He's not sure what's that meant to mean with his question, but he's happy that they didn't work out. Maybe he'll burn in hell. Oh well, at least he can be happy in his pining on Earth. 

But what's even weirder is that after that day, Stiles spends more time with him, Derek Hale, than he does with Cora. 

Derek doesn't complain. He and Stiles grow close together, so close that they reach the We-judge-people-together part of their friendship in under three weeks. It helps that they, apparently, are the only ones of the younger generation of their group who are single. Derek is not sure how any of it happened, but he has fun making fun of his cousins, Cora and friends. 

It starts with Scott and Allison's first year anniversary -- there's a huge feast at the Hale's House -- and Stiles siddles up to him, confesses, “I'd love to have a relationship like that some day,” 

Derek looks at him, softly, and says, “Me too,” which seems to be the right words, because Stiles beams up at him and that's when things start looking up for him. Sure, he's pining harder now, but still. Any time spent with Stiles is a good time. 

On the same day, Cora and Malia have a huge fight, something about Mal stealing Cora's date to the some back-to-school fundraiser dance thing, which Jackson interrupts by firmly stating, “Cora, stop bitching, we all know you have the hots for Lahey now,” 

That makes Cora blush, stutter, and run away. Everyone looks at Isaac, who looks at his brother for help, and then rushes after Cora. Going up against the Menace Twins is never worth it, Derek, Laura and Allison have tried to tell this to Cora multiple times, but maybe _now_ she'll listen to them. 

“They have been pining for each other for months now,” Stiles says, suddenly by his elbow. The height difference reminds Derek yet again of why he should not pursue this. “Cora and Isaac.” 

“I thought she liked Lydia?” He asks. That _had_ been the family consensus, after all. 

Said girl appears in front of him and declares, “She did, we dated for like a week, and now I am dating Malia.” 

He and Stiles share a look, and Derek now knows why Stiles stopped his fun times with Mal, and then they disappear far away from the drama. (They go to the Library, but whatever.) Stiles has fun telling him all about the high school romances, and Derek has fun judging those who he knows and doesn't, equally. Even _he_ tells Stiles about some of the college romances, and he's surprised he knows this much. 

And it continues like that. 

Their group -- because even though Derek is older and Laura even more so, they're all gossips at heart and just cannot resist -- has a hell of a lot of roller coaster emotions all throughout the next two years. 

Malia dates Lydia for five months, then Malia dumps her -- “Man, does your cuz have guts,” Stiles says -- because there's a new girl in school and she likes her. Kira or something is her name. 

Lydia is rightly furious, and tries to get back together with Cora, who is still in denial that she likes Isaac. Isaac is right there with her. But when Cora and Lydia start dating again, it's clear as day to see that Isaac _finally_ realises his feelings. It's a good thing that Laura, Camden, Allison and Erica -- who is also part of their group, and so is her boyfriend, Boyd, who Derek considers is platonic soulmate -- are great at mending hearts. Derek knows it personally. 

And it's also oh so very clear when Cora falls for Lydia, again, because Isaac becomes more sad. 

During those first five months itself Laura and Camden get married; Theo gets together with Liam, who is a year younger than him but Derek and Stiles predict that they are the forever kind of couple; Mason and Corey become part of their group via Liam via Theo via Jackson, and they at least have no complications in their love life, since they're dating each other; Allison chooses to come to New York for college. 

After that, everything is steady for about another three months, and Derek relishes the non-drama during the time. 

Then Isaac somehow falls in love with both Allison and Scott, Scott falls in love with Isaac and Allison definitely _feels_ for Isaac. It's more than friendship, she says. She's not sure. Isaac is three years younger than her. 

Derek and Stiles cannot believe their lives, rather, the love lives of their friends, and spend a good amount of time laughing at their expense. 

By the time Stiles turns 18 and Derek turns 22 and is back in Beacon Hills for good, Isaac, Allison and Scott have a working, loving Thrupple; Cora, Lydia and Jordan Parrish -- a 20-year-old Beta Deputy of the Sheriff's department -- have also learnt from ‘Scallisaac' and are in a loving and committed Thrupple; Malia and Kira are dating and it's definitely a forever kind of relationship; Jackson is still single; Erica and Boyd are engaged to be married after Boyd's 21st birthday, Erica is already 21; Theo and Liam are still going strong, and so are Mason and Corey; Laura and Camden have two buns in the oven. About time, everyone says when they break the news. Laura huffs and replies, “I am only 24!” Camden just stands silently by the side and mouths at Isaac, “and I am only 24, too.” 

Isaac just rolls his eyes. But he does light up when they find out he's going to have two kids to spoil. 

And through it all, Derek is still in love with Stiles. 

*

They're in the library, sitting side-by-side and reading, doing their own thing like it's become their habit over the years, when Stiles starts jiggling up his legs. That's Stiles' nervous tick. 

Derek frowns. “What's wrong?” he asks, but doesn't look at Stiles. If he does, Stiles might decide not to tell him. 

“Nothing,” there's a pause. Stiles sighs, obviously deciding he has to talk about whatever this is. It's not about college; Stiles got accepted to MIT alongwith Lydia and Jackson, just as he'd wanted. Derek is proud. Money is a non-issue, what with the Sheriff and Melissa -- who have also started dating in the past few months, love is in the air, he thinks, except not when it's for him -- pooling resources. So what can be the problem? “Derek, why haven't you dated anyone? I mean, other than Paige? Are you still-” 

“-hung up on her?” Derek distantly thinks he's lucky enough to just know Stiles enough to be able to finish his sentences, to call him his best friend. He laughs hysterically, though, at the thought. “Why would you even think that?” he asks, finally, and sees Stiles' confused stare. 

“You haven't dated anyone! And look at you, you obviously have Omegas and Betas and the occasional Alphas throwing themselves at you,” they both shiver at the Alpha part, because Kate Argent is such a creep. None of them have a clue as to how Chris and her are blood related. 

Derek glances at ceiling for power. He'd dreaded this conversation, hell, he'd hated this conversation when Jackson had come up to him and asked if he was asexual, too. Derek had always assumed his cousin was, but assuming makes an ass out of everyone, so he'd never really gave it more thought. Thankfully that conversation had ended with Jackson knowing Derek supported him -- Omegas not into sex is apparently an idiotic scandal and it's anyways a person's own choice, media and assholes can suck it -- and that in return he supported Derek in his one-sided pining. 

“I am not interested,” he looks back at his best friend. Stiles looks thoughtful. 

“Are you-” he starts, but Derek groans. “-I was gonna ask asexual, but that response means otherwise and I have seen you making out with Paige and jerking off to someone I don't know about but many sources say you're in love with...” Derek's eyes widen in fear, _who told him?!_ “Shit, you are, aren't you?” 

Stiles looks... Off. He's smiling, but it's not genuine, it's strained and fake in a way Derek has rarely seen. Stiles is someone who will say what's on his mind without any thoughts of the consequences. Sometimes Derek isn't sure why he loves this dumbass. 

“Whoever they are, they are lucky.” Says Stiles. “Why haven't you asked them out yet? Or are you secretly dating them, and I just don't know it, like I didn't know about _my best friend being in love_ ,” he ends bitterly. Derek tries to catch his eyes, hold his hand, stop him, but Stiles is already standing up and leaving the room. “No, no. I am sorry, I shouldn't have... You must have had your reasons.” 

“Stiles, wait. Please,” Stiles turns back, and there are tears in his eyes. “Why-?” Derek raises his hands to catch the lone tear that falls down his cheek. Stiles pushes him away. Derek is so utterly confused right now, it's not even funny. 

“Just tell me this, Derek. How long have you been in love with them?” 

He's not sure what's going on, so he answers truthfully. His parents always say truth is always the best bet in any situation. “I started to fall for him about four years ago.” However his parents never said it has to be the full truth. If Stiles is reacting like this to him being in love with someone, how will he behave when he knows Derek is in love with Stiles?

“Oh,” Stiles says, and then he's gone. 

Derek has literally no clue what just happened. 

*

Laura and Allison find him moping around in his room, and they decide hitting his head is the appropriate thing to do. He glares at them while they glare back at him. Uncle Chris and dad pass by the door, take a look at the three of them, and decide they don't want to know what new drama is going on. 

Allison breaks first. “Derek,” she sighs. 

“Allison.” he replies. 

“Laura, Luke and Lily,” says Laura, and grins at them when they frown at her in confusion. “We finally decided on the names,” 

“Too much L,” he points out. 

“I doubt Camden minds. He is a big nerd, and Lily is a beautiful name,” Allison smiles up at her cousin. Laura ignores him and the two girls squeal with happiness. Derek tries to sneak past them amidst the ear-numbing noise but fails. 

“You're not going anywhere till you 'fess up why you've been moping for the past two days.” Laura declares. 

Allison nods and says, “And why Scott and Cora are having Stiles-Crisis Hangouts at his house,” 

Derek confesses, because the women in his life are scary. A pregnant one even more so. 

By the time he finishes, Uncle Peter and Jackson are in his room, too (Derek and Stiles have working theories that those two are sharks in human disguise and are attracted to drama instead of blood) and all four of them are shaking their heads at him in pity. 

“And you have zero idea as to why Stiles reacted the way he did?” Peter asks him. Derek grunts in assent. 

“Bro,” Jackson says, and manages to inject pity, judgement and amusement, all in that one word. 

“You are an idiot,” Laura declares, and then yells, “Cam! Let's go to that diner,” 

“Uhh, _Flinty_? In the town that's like an hour away?” Cam yells back. 

Laura waddles downstairs -- she's six months pregnant with twins -- and Derek can hear her say, “Of course! Your kids are craving them shrimps,” 

Camden is so, so whipped. But so is Derek on Stiles, he has no room for judgement. 

“You two kids make your brother less of an idiot and record it for me,” Peter says before following Laura downstairs, saying he too wants to eat shrimp now. Allison mutters that recording would be creepy, and Jackson nods in agreement. 

“Alright. What's the first mission?” Allison claps her hands and looks at Jackson. She's awesome, but even she knows how to pick her battles, and even though Derek has no idea what's going on, he'd rather have someone hold his hand and lead him than get lost. He's already hurt Stiles. 

“Cora and Scott are with him, right?” Allison nods. “Tell them it's time. In the meanwhile, I'll take care of the venue, you talk to this idiot,” 

“Venue? And hey, I am right here!” Derek grumbles, but neither of his cousins have any interest to what he's saying. 

Jackson takes off after a while, phone in hand. Allison has called Lydia for some reason, and Derek is getting some clarity as to what's going on here. He's not a _complete_ idiot. 

“Alli?” he says. She's sitting beside him on his bed, hands running through his hair in a soothing motion. She presses a kiss on his forehead. “All of this... Do you really think Stiles likes me back?” 

“No.” His heart drops to his stomach. “I know that he _loves_ you back,” 

He inhales. Exhales. Inhales. Exhales again. It's a lot to take in. 

He'd thought about this, of course. About Stiles loving him back. Or even liking him to give him, to give _them_ a chance. Even if they didn't work out, Derek could cope with that. Maybe move on because he'd had closure, sort of. But this is real... And he's not sure. What if they're all wrong? What if the reason Stiles is sad is because he's hurt Derek didn't tell him his secret? What if it's just that and nothing else? 

“I should not be the one to tell you this, but he does love you, Der. Has been in love with you for a while. Even before either he or we realised this,” 

He trusts her. So he just nods. 

*

He now knows why Lydia was here. It's to dress him up. For such a small woman, she's scary. And because Derek likes his balls where they are, he lets her parade him around in the million outfits she chooses out of his closet. Also he wants Stiles to remember their first date. In case they have more dates, he wants this one to be memorable. 

Being optimistic is good, he reminds himself. Allison repeats the same thing to him before letting him out the house in too-tight pants and a green Henley that apparently makes his eyes pop. 

Jackson tells him to go pick up Stiles, he'll send the address to wherever it is they're supposed to go after later. 

Derek gets behind the wheels to his Camaro, and gets nervous. Does the Sheriff know? He should know. This isn't exactly asking for his son's hand in marriage, but that is the end goal, so Derek should tell him. No, ask him. 

His phone is connected to the bluetooth of the car, and as the phone rings as he drives at an optimum and definitely under the limit speed, he feels that his car is too small. 

“Ah, Derek. You just won me 50 dollars,” John says cheerily. Derek can hear Isaac and Melissa groaning in the background, and his mom laughing. 

“Sir?” he says. He doesn't usually call him that, but maybe he should. 

“Another 20! Damn son, you're on fire. Also, please don't start calling me Sir. John is more than fine, hell, you can call me dad.” 

“...Okay? So you know about. Um. The date?” 

“Everyone but Stiles knows about the date. He's at Mel's with Scott and Cora, pick him up from there.” 

Derek hangs up after that. Then he calls back and says, “Um, bye, dad?” he's not sure if he can call him that _before_ the date. John laughs and says, “Bye, son. Tell Stiles you're my favourite now, you've won me another 10!” 

Then _dad_ hangs up. He's not sure what the bets were about, but if everyone is so sure about him and Stiles, then the one thing Derek can be sure about is that Stiles at least likes him back. 

*

Stiles looks stunning, and Derek only looks away from the love of his life -- who is gaping at him openly -- when he hears the shutter of a camera. It's Cora, grinning widely, taking their pictures. 

“So. Me and Cora here are gonna go now,” Scott says and drags her away. Cora hugs them both and tells them to “not fuck up! I've been waiting for years,” before going, though. 

Derek stares at Stiles. Stiles stares at Derek. It's a good thing they are in the living room and not outside on the porch. 

“I thought you were going on a date with _him_ ,” Stiles blurts out. Derek stares in confusion now. “The one you love. Cora told me...” 

Oh. “Then why are you dressed? She didn't already tell you that it's you, right? Jax would be furious. That reminds me, we should get going.” He drags Stiles back to his car and starts the engine, while his best friend -- and very possibly his future boyfriend -- imitates a gulping fish. 

“I was sad and angry so Scott and Cora said I should go clubbing and forget all about you,” Stiles finally says.

Since he now knows a little bit about what's going on, he can figure out the rest. He thinks he would have figured out Stiles liked him like _that_ ages ago if not for thinking that he was just projecting. A smile spreads on his face. “You like me and you thought I love someone else so you wanted to go clubbing, huh? I bet those clothes would have attracted many a people to you,” 

Stiles blushes beautifully at the compliment. “It is me, isn't it? You love me,” he says softly, like he can't believe this. “Since I was 14, huh?” and there's he back: Mr. I am an asshole and I know it Stilinski. 

Derek grumbles but doesn't deny it. 

By the time they reach the cinema hall -- Jackson had messaged him: “I know you two idiots would rather eat each other than food, so enjoy. Though I have no idea how you heathens think anything can top food.” -- they've talked each other through all their years of pining. Stiles has been in love with him since he was 16. 16! Two years, and Derek didn't know. But oh well, he does now, and he'll damn well make sure Stiles knows how much he's loved back. 

They end up kissing all throughout the movie. 

*

Long-distance relationship is better than pining, Derek learns. And even though phone sex, skype sex and sexting are awkward as hell the few times they try it, the breathy laughs Stiles lets loose every time they try, Derek finds he doesn't mind it at all. 


End file.
